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Persona BLEACHED 2: Part 2
Chapter 2: Magician's Dread August 12, 2028 Morning at the academy dorms. It being the first weekend of the new semester, most students had already departed to experience the city and neighbouring towns at their leisure. Sitting at the steps of the boys' dorm was Kibō, wearing a blue hoodie and jeans. He was bouncing a small blue and green rubber ball around. He held it for a moment. He thought back to before his brother was arrested. "You're an Ishimaru, Kibō. The whole world is within your grasp. The question is...do you have the willpower to grab hold of it? To do whatever is necessary to achieve your goals? This might be too obtuse for a kid like you, but just know that your name will grant you privileges well beyond those beneath you. And believe me...there will be MANY beneath you." "Hmph. Privileges. How did that work out for you, Kyohei?" Kibō said. "Talking to your imaginary friend, Keebster?" Kibō looked behind him, and Sahir and Max were standing at the doorway, Sahir wearing a green and black football kit with the Nigerian national team's logo on the upper left hand corner, while Max wore a red and white checkered shirt. "Oh, hey. Sorry. Just talking to some old ghosts." Kibō said. "Wait, you were speaking to a ghost?!" Max panicked. "Calm down there, Maxie, I'm pretty sure that was a metaphor." Sahir said. "Uh, right, yeah. Totally was." Max said unconvincingly. "So I'm going to guess that Kenji won't be joining us." Kibō said. "Don't sound so disappointed." Max replied. "I tried asking the guy, but he just gave me the stink eye and said he'd been 'issued a challenge' by someone. Honestly starting to doubt if this guy's for real." Sahir added. "Maybe the professor got tired of his backsass and challenged him to put up or shut up." Max added. "Wouldn't doubt it after all that lip he gave yesterday. 'I only need hone my blade, don't begin to tell me what to do, woman.' I'm just impressed she didn't fling him out the window right then and there." Sahir said. "Anyway, let's not let that grouch sour up our day, right gentlemen?" Sahir put his arm around Kibō's shoulder. "Our first day of freedom, my friends. A whole new world, with Japanese girls as far as the eye can see..." Kibō looked unamused. "Starting to think Kenji isn't the only one existing in their own world." he thought. "Come, my friends! To the nearest shopping mall you can find! True love awaits!" Sahir sprinted away. "Picking up girls at a shopping mall, does this guy think he's Chris-chan?" Max said. "Who the hell is that?" Kibō asked. "You don't want to know." In front of the girls' dorm, Barbara and Kitty stood waiting. Barbara wore a tye dye shirt and skirt, while Kitty wore a black shirt with the words "god is dead" in lowercase lettering, along with torn black jeans and her cat-ear headphones. "What could be taking those gals so long?" Barbara pondered. "Probably pondering how we're one evolutionary step away from flinging our own poop. Or they're divided on what to wear. Either or." Kitty answered while peering at her phone. "I'd...rather not think about throwing poop." "Don't knock it til you try it." Carrie stepped out of the dorm wearing a violet blouse, and carrying a large burlap sack. "Sorry for the wait, girls." she said with a bead of sweat going down her face. "What's with the sack?" Barbara asked. "Wait, are we disposing of a body? Today might be fun after all." Kitty added. "Oh, this? Well, I had trouble getting Natalia to leave her room. So, I..." "Wait...Natalia's in that bag?! Can she even breathe in there?! Let her out right now!" Barbara demanded. Carrie opened the sack, and out came a near-catatonic Natalia curled up. "Blessed creator, take me now." she said meekly. "Are you out of your mind?! You couldn't just convince her to come out herself?!" Barbara argued. "I tried that, and she still wouldn't budge. So I had to think on my feet." Carrie explained. "Gotta say, Frenchie. You're more hardcore than I gave you credit for." Kitty said. "You have not seen 'hardcore' from me, nor would you want to." Carrie said ominously. "And what's that supposed to mean?" "Nothing. Forget about it." After a few minutes, Natalia composed herself. "Okay, okay. Moving on from the drama." Barbara said, slightly exasperated. "It's our first day to explore our surroundings, ladies. I've already got our adventure plotted out." "Uhh, not for nothing, Barbie, but isn't half the fun of an adventure not knowing where you're going? Just saying." Kitty asked. "I get that, Kitty. But what's life without at least a little planning ahead. Organization's what separates the cream from the crop, after all." "So, first on the list is...the market district. I wanted to stop by that cute flower shop I've heard so much about." "Oh, the one the professor's family owns? That does sound lovely. I'm sure the professor would appreciate us stopping in to say hello." Carrie said. "Precisely. I don't know about you all, but I'm fairly curious about our professor. Someone that young getting to teach some of the globe's best and brightest? How could I not be curious?" Barbara elaborated. "A flower shop does sound really pretty. And I would like to see the professor when she's not giving Kenji the evil eye..." Natalia added. "Plus, I hear that she has a friend that recently took over a game shop close by. You're one of those people that streams games, aren't you Kitty?" Barbara asked. "Yeah...sort of." Kitty responded, in a way that gave off the impression that she didn't want to talk about it. "Then that settles it. Come on then, ladies. Adventure awaits!" Barbara yelled out, marching off. "Isn't she being a bit dramatic?" Carrie commented. "What do you expect from a theater girl?" Kitty responded. --- Kenji stared up at the sign, reading "Naruki #1 Fitness and Wellness Center". He carried a sword in a sheath on his back. "This is where my opponent is? What could the professor have planned..." he pondered. "You know you can go inside." uttered a voice. Kenji looked over at the man leaning against the window. He was eating from a bag of Hi-Chews. "'Sup? The name's Jin. I'm guessing you're the one Rin sent over?" "Are you my opponent?" "I look like a guy ready for a duel, mate? Nah, she's waiting inside. Nice sheath, by the way." "'She?' The professor's having me fight a woman?" "You got a problem with women, sport? I'll have you know she's the finest swordsman on the entire damn continent. And I'm not just saying that cuz she's my wife. Just be prepared. She's in a bit of a precarious state at the moment so she's taking every precaution." "Oh, trust me. I'm prepared for anything." Kenji walked inside. Jin's eyes turned yellow. "Oh no you ain't, you snotty little prick. Oh no you ain't." Kenji walked past the reception desk, and into a large gymnasium. Standing with her back turned to Kenji, wiping clean her sword, was Tenko. "Glad you finally showed up." she said. "So you're the so-called 'finest swordsman in all the land'. Those eagle wings on your jacket...so. The professor has sent me to the Flying Valkyrie herself. You are Tenko Kitsunezaru, are you not?" "Somebody knows their business. I go by 'Tenko Mirai' nowadays but you hit the nail on the head. Exept you left out the 'Olympic Gold Medalist' part." "At least the professor didn't send me to a complete novice. I look forward to taking your title." Kenji drew his sword and took a battle stance. "Slow down there, champ. I ain't finished talking." Tenko turned around. Kenji stared blankly at her stomach. "Is this some kind of insane joke?" he demanded. "I don't joke when it comes to a duel, Kenneth. Oh yes. Rin-Rin told me all about you. How you've been nasty and disrespectful in class to her and the rest of the students. So I volunteered to give you an attitude adjustment. And in case you're concerned about my little bump, don't worry. I wouldn't have volunteered if I felt there was even a slight chance of you hurting me or the little one." Kenji clearly took offense to the implication. "What did you just--" "Why are you obsessed with that sword, Kenneth? Getting stronger is one thing, hell, nobody wants to get weaker. But say you have a satisfying duel. Then what? What's the plan after that happens? You go jump into a lake? Sit in a cave spending your time with your thumb up your ass? Kicking yourself for alienating people by being such a tool? I don't get you at all." "Enough. I won't be lectured by some--" "By some WHAT, Kenneth? You know who I am already. You know the things I've accomplished with this sword. Does the fact that a woman has achieved so much in your field, enough to lecture you on it, really bother you that much? Tell you what. Hit me once. Even the tiniest cut. Make me bleed, and I'll declare you the winner. I'll even let you have the first go." "You must be joking. Look at your stomach. How is this going to be a fair fight?" Kenji demanded. "Oh? That so? You want me to wear a blindfold? Tie my hands behind my back and hold the sword in my mouth? Would that make you feel better?" Tenko chided. Kenji gritted his teeth. "What happens next is on you." He charged with his sword. As soon as he swung at Tenko, however, she immediately parried it away. After several swift movements, she turned away from Kenji as his clothes suddenly shredded apart. "S-so fast! She barely even moved her hands--" He fell to the ground. "Let me tell you why I picked up my blade today, Kenneth. It wasn't for some showboaty, 'I'm gonna prove I'm strongest' type of reason. I have bigger things to worry about than massaging your ego. I picked up my blade because you disrespected somebody I care deeply about. Let me put it in a way your brain can comprehend. Would a knight take it lightly if someone were to insult their queen? Come Monday, the first thing I'm asking Rin-Rin is how you behaved in class. If I hear that you're still being a shit, we'll be repeating this episode again. Now go home. If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna call my boss and tell her we can open up..." She walked towards the door. Kenji weakly stood up. He clenched his sword. His thoughts turned to a bitter memory. Sword training in the presence of his mother. "Do it again, Kenneth. Until your form is perfect." Then the whip. Again. Admonishing. The whip. Over and over. The rage built inside of Kenji, until he finally exploded. "YOU BITCH...!" He lunged towards Tenko. Before he could reach her... He was stopped in place as his blade was blocked by an arm. Jin had suddenly appeared. A guitar riff was playing from his watch, with the screen text scrolling "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure OST - Stardust Crusaders". Kenji was stunned. "Where the hell did he come from?! And where did she go?! And he's blocking my sword with his arm...?!" he thought. "Y'know, now that I've got a closer look...sheesh, that's an ugly sheath. But that's the least of your worries. I was already fixing to whoop you for being rude to Rin. Then you try attacking my pregnant wife with her back turned. You've got no idea how NOT COOL that shit is. Souls that ugly don't get fixed in one day. But don't worry. Because that's gonna be nothing...compared to how ugly your face is about to be." He delivered a single, hard punch to Kenji's face that sent him flying across the room. Tenko walked back into the room. "Sorry to cut in. But there's only so much BS I can stand." Jin explained. "I'm not mad. Just...disappointed he reacted like that. Not surprised, but still disappointed." Tenko replied. "Hm. Is the little miss okay?" "Little miss is A-OK. Let my powers do most of the damage. Even if I slipped up, I had Brynhildr's shield to keep me safe. He had zero chance." "Right. Still...there's gotta be a reason this kid's so screwed up. Doesn't justify the shit attitude, but there's gotta be more to it." "Hmm. There's some of Rin-Rin rubbing off on you. Always wanting to understand people." "Heh. Guess you're right." "So how are we getting him out of here?" "I'll carry him back to the dorms. I'll have Ongyo-ki cast a wider illusion. Make people think I'm carrying a box." Jin walked out carrying Kenji's unconscious body. "Don't forget to call Mimi. Before she starts freaking out about where you are." Tenko said. "She'll start freaking out regardless. Hopefully she can handle a few customers without calling the Imperial Guard." Jin replied. He left. --- "Think this is the place?" Barbara asked. "Flower shop next to a produce market. Plus a big ol' sign that says 'Kubo' on the front. I'd put money on that bet." Kitty responded. "Oi. You ladies lost or somethin'?" a voice boomed out. They looked over to see a muscular, tattooed man with dark shades and gold chains standing there. "Eek! This must be one of those creepy yakuza guys! Hide me!" Natalia shrieked. "Whoa whoa WHOA, hold on a sec!" he objected. "Oh blessed creator, let it be painless...!" Natalia begged. Carrie stood forward. "So your desire is punishment, then." "C-can ya hold up for just one sec?!" "Hang on..." Barbara interjected. "Didn't the professor mention something about a big goofball hanging around the produce shop?" "Hey, whaddya mean 'goofball'? Wait a second...you said 'professor', yeah? You're Rin's kids, aren't ya?" "How do you know the professor?" Barbara asked. "Well, let's see...it all started 'bout 24 years ago when she came outta Mama's tummy..." "I'm just gonna stop you there." Barbara interrupted. "So this dude's the prof's big brother. Hunh. Really wouldn't have guessed." Kitty said. "That I am, little lady. The name's Hyōtan, but y'all can call me DJ TanMan." he said entirely seriously. "I won't be doing that at all, actually." Kitty retorted. "Anywho, sorry about spookin' ya. Could ya maybe tell Blondie to stop shaking like a damn massage chair?" Carrie put her hand on Natalia's shoulder as she hid her face beneath her hood. "Calm down, Natie. He's not going to bite." "Well I guess that answers my next question of whether this was the right shop. If you don't mind my asking, I'd love to ask you some questions about the professor." Barbara said. "Ah, much as I'd love to bend your ears about my lil' sis, I'm a bit preoccupied with my mixtape at the moment." Tan replied. "Oh dear lord, he has a mixtape." Kitty muttered to herself. "That bein' said, if ya really wanna know about my sis, the lady in the flower shop'll be more than happy. She and Rin are about as tight as a wool sweater after a wash. She'll keep you occupied for a while." "Thanks a bunch, Mr. Tan. Good luck on the mixtape!" Barbara said. "Heh, I don't need luck. I've got the songs in my bones, and the spirits made me their auteur!" "Mother of mercy, she must be adopted." Kitty muttered, shaking her head. The girls walked into the shop. "Ooooh. It's so pretty..." Natalia said. "My goodness. Whoever runs this shop must be incredibly meticulous." Carrie added. "Helloooo. Anyone home?" Barbara called out. "Oh! My apologies. Wait one moment..." Rose appeared from behind a flowerbed. "How can I help you--oh! You girls are from Rin's class, aren't you?" "Yes ma'am, we are." Barbara replied. "How lovely. My name is Rose. Rin has told me all about you. Please, feel free to sit wherever you like. I'll go prepare some tea." "So, Ms. Rose." Barbara began a short while later. "How exactly did you meet the professor? Not to sound presumptuous, but you aren't from around here, are you?" "How me and Rin met...well, it was about nine years ago. I came to the academy from elsewhere, and that's where I met Rin. Her family was kind enough to take me in, give me a place to belong where I hadn't before. I've spent the past near-decade repaying them for that kindness." "Her family, huh...that includes your neighbor the DJ, right?" "Ah, so you've met Hyōtan. He might seem a bit frightening, but he's a sweet man at heart." "Can you vouch for his singing voice?" Kitty asked. Rose kept silent. "All the answer I needed." "So is it just you working the shop? The professor did tell us it was a family business." Barbara asked. "Well, for the moment it is. Rin's mother Ms. Hana actually owns it, but she's handing the reigns to me once she returns from vacation. Bless her heart, she's dealt with a lot. I've taken on the brunt of the responsibility, just to ease the stress on her." "So I can see...that picture frame there, that gentleman with the glasses...is that the professor's father?" "Yes, it is. He passed away from rather...unsavory means when Rin was young. A robbery gone horribly wrong, just next door in the market. Rin saw everything." "How awful..." Carrie said. "A few years after that, Hyōtan got into some legal trouble and spent a few years in prison. And then..." Rose bore a look of frustration. "Something the matter?" Barbara asked. "No. It's nothing. Just whenever I think about it...it makes me angrier every time. Rin had another brother. His name was Tohru. He was killed shortly before I met Rin." "Jeez. Prof was like, 15 when you met? That's a lot for one girl to deal with at that age." said Kitty. "Indeed. But there was so much more to it. Tohru was incredibly jealous and cruel towards Rin. Even his own death was a manipulation geared towards hurting her. All of it was by calculated design. Thinking about him just gets me so angry. Him and...that vile creature he conspired with." "Vile...creature?" Natalia asked. "Nobody worth mentioning further. Just a hateful beast who got what he deserved long ago." "Ah, I beg your pardon. I didn't mean to begin spinning such a woeful tale." Rose said. "No, that's alright. If anything I should apologize for drudging up such awful memories. Really makes me appreciate how much the professor's had to overcome. Tell you what...I'll buy a bouquet of the nicest violets you have. As a thanks for your time." Barbara replied. "Oh, you're far too kind. Let me just go ahead and--" "ROSIE, I NEED HELP!" Someone came running through the door. "Huh? Gah!" uttered Natalia as the person ran right into her. "Owwwwww..." she muttered. The other person, a young woman with a purple jacket, a green and pink shirt with "Splatoon" written on it, and brown hair in braids, sat on the ground. "Uggggh, who put that door there?!" she griped. "Um, Mimi? What seems to be the matter?" Rose asked. "What's the matter?! You see what my brother just sent me?!" Mimi showed Rose her phone. "'Gonna be a while. Helping Rin fix up some garbage. Take care of the store.'" "You see this?! He wants me to deal with PEOPLE! Does he even know what people are like?" "I understand your trepidation but...who's manning the store right now?" Mimi's eyes widened. "Oh my God! You're right! There's probably a gang of roving geeks running their sweaty hands all over our merch! I'm not taking that one bit!" She went sprinting out the door. "Bah! Who put that sidewalk there?!" The girls looked confused. Rose shook her head. "Oh, dear. She really should invest in kneepads." she said. "What was that all about?" Barbara asked. "That was Aimi Mirai. Or Mimi, as she goes by. She helps her brother run the nearby game shop. She's really a sweet girl but she can be a bit...scatterbrained." "Her brother, huh? Oh, right. Prof said that the game shop owner's a buddy of yours." Kitty said. "Yes, indeed. His wife is Rin's best friend. They live next door to us. Well, I say 'friends', but they're more like family. You should stop in and say hello sometime." The girls began to leave. "You guys wait outside. I've still got those flowers to buy." Barbara said. "Don't take too long. I can already hear Tan Man's mixtape." Kitty said. The three walked out. "Hey...thanks again for telling us about the professor. I wouldn't have guessed she'd had it that hard." "It's no trouble at all. I like to believe Rin can overcome anything, but there's no denying she's had her fair share of hardship." "Well, I guess having a friend like you helps. She was right when she said you were a sweetheart." Rose began blushing. "She really said that? Oh, my. I'm a little embarrassed." "Oh, don't be. It's nice to hear that kind of thing from the person you love." "Huh? Wait, how did--" Barbara giggled. "I'm a theater girl. I can read people's faces and voices really well. I know what unconditional love looks and sounds like. Your eyes practically start flashing when you talk about her." "Hmm. Someone told me that exact thing not that long ago. You are a curious girl, Ms. O'Donnell. Why exactly are you so ponderous about Rin?" "Just curious, is all. I believe the more you know about someone, the better you can judge their character. I want to know as much as I can, so I can tell when people are being their real selves. That's all, really." "Anyway, sorry for dragging on. Thanks for the flowers. I'll see you around, Ms. Rose." Barbara left. "My, my. Such an inquisitive girl. I can see why Rin spoke highly of her. Feels like she has that same spark..." Rose said. --- "Owowowowowowow." Sahir held an ice pack over his right eye. "Who could've guessed those girls would have such fists of iron..." "Maybe them standing in front of a Shōtōkan dojo should've been an early warning." Max replied. "You know...you may have a point." Sahir said. Kibō stayed silent. The three wandered through the mall. "Alright, just need to find a costume shop. Get me an eyepatch and I'll be good to go!" Sahir said. "Wait, seriously? You're gonna keep going after getting decked like that?" Max asked. "Oh, absolutely! I'm turning lemons into lemonade. Ladies love men with eyepatches. Gives them a sense of danger and mystery." "Or it'll make you seem like some kind of wild boar." "Yo, Keebs." Sahir piped up. Kibō, hands in his pockets, didn't respond. "Hey, man. You gonna give us the silent treatment all day?" "Sorry. I don't have anything to add." Kibō finally uttered. "So? This guy only adds frustration, and that doesn't stop him." Max said, pointing at Sahir. "Hey!" As they walked, a voice popped up. "...Ishimaru?" Kibō took notice. "So I was right...you are Kyohei Ishimaru's younger brother." It was a janitor, disheveled and with prisoners' chains around his legs. "Who are you?" Kibō asked. The janitor lunged at Kibō, grabbing him by the collar. "Ask your brother who Taikutsu Kyōshinja is. Ask him about the people and lives he left lying in the wake of his selfish shit!" A security guard ran over and pried Kyōshinja off of Kibō. He pointed towards Sahir and Max. "You steer clear of this little shit. That family is nothing but lies and manipulation! He'll chew you up and spit you out when you're not useful anymore!" He continued raving as guard dragged him off. "Jesus man, you alright?" Max asked. "...no. No I'm not." Kibō uttered. "What was that psycho going on about? Who was he?" Sahir asked. "Him...he was part of my brother's inner circle back when he was in school. I remember Kyohei mentioning him...how he poisoned a girl as a threat to another girl that was gonna expose all of their corruption. He got a long sentence for it...guess he's on work-release or something." "You mentioned your brother before. You said that him and the professor had something going on, right?" Max asked. "Kyohei had a rivalry with Professor Kubo's brother. He took out a lot of his anger on her and her friends. The girls he punished with the poison were friends of the professor. He...he tortured them. Made their school lives hell. Then he got caught...now he's in jail. And I get to repent for his actions." Kibō turned away. "You all should stay away from me. I'm just a criminal's younger brother. A burden on anyone. I shouldn't even be here..." He somberly walked away. "Hey, wait--!" Max yelled out. "Let him go, Maxie. Think the guy just needs some time alone. But I'm gonna promise something." Sahir began. "I'm making it my personal mission to get Keebs to open up. All I've heard is 'my brother this, my brother that'. Doesn't make him the same kind of jerk. I'm gonna make him see that." "...y'know if you weren't pressing ice against your eye, that might've been more badass." "You won't give me ANY credit, will you?!" --- Rin sat on her couch, her cat strewn across her lap. She was holding a sheet of paper, with several others across the table. "Oh, Rose..." She began blushing. "Can't believe she hid all this for so long...did she ever tell you about this, Momo?" She petted Momo. "Naughty kitty, keeping secrets...maybe I should give her some of the ones I wrote." She put the paper down, took off her glasses, and shut her eyes. "A nice present...for my angel..." she muttered as she drifted off. Then, a sharp feeling. Rin jolted awake. "What was that...?" She got up and looked outside. Near the market district, Barbara and the girls looked around to see that movement had ceased. Birds stopped in mid-flight. Leaves halted before hitting the ground. "H-hey! What's the big idea?!" Natalia asked in a panic. "Hey, Barb...did you put a little extra something in those flowers?" asked an unusually nervous Kitty. "I didn't do anything, Kitty. This...I don't know what this is..." Barbara responded. Nearby, Rose looked out the window, a horrified look on her face. "Oh...oh, no...!" she thought. At the game store, Mimi looked out the window. "Ummmmm...is this some kind of circus mind trick or something? Hey, bro, wha--" Jin was now huddled in a corner, hands over his head. "Bro? What's wrong?!" His eyes widened. "You have to be shitting me...not him...!" he uttered. Kibō had returned to the boys' dorms. "This...Kyohei mentioned something like this...I thought he was joking..." Max and Sahir ran up to him. "I might've gotten a few shots to the head, but...is anyone else seeing this?" Sahir asked. The doors opened, and out stepped a groggy Kenji. "Urgh, my head...hm? You all..." "Kenji? What happened to..." "Never mind that. What's going on here?" "We'd like to know that ourselves!" Sahir responded. Rin exited her house, and walked to the middle of the street. She closed her eyes. "It's been far too long, Rinnie." Rin slowly opened her eyes, and turned back to see the Reaper. "My, how kind the years have been. Somehow you're even lovelier than the last time I saw you." he said. "You don't look surprised to see me. Though this isn't the first time the dead came back to life in front of you, is it? All I could think of these last eight years was seeing that face again...and how much I wanted to dig a knife into it." He pulled out a revolver and pointed it at Rin. "Bring out your lance. I want to savor this. When we're done here, I'm finishing what I shoulda done eight years ago. Starting with that mute prick Jin." He rubbed his throat. "I'm sure he'll be at a loss for words. Then I'll go for Blondie, then that loudmouth bestie of yours. One-by-one, and I'll tell each of them whose fault it is. You were dead the minute you looked me in the eye, Rinnie. I've just come to collect." Suddenly, Rin appeared behind him. "Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself talk?" she asked. Surprised, he leapt away to where she had been standing before. He aimed his revolver at her again. "I'm not making the same mistakes again. I won't let you fight back...!" The Reaper snapped his fingers. Rin didn't move. The Reaper snickered to himself...only to realize he couldn't move his fingers. "W-what the hell...?" he thought. Rin smirked. "One second has passed." The Reaper's thoughts began to race. "What...?! How did--" Rin held out her hand, and brought forth an ornately decorated red lance. She began to approach the Reaper. "Did you forget how I undid this trick eight years ago? Did you think I wouldn't spend all this time preparing for this exact moment?" "Here's the thing, Nobuhiro. I've spent the last eight years moving on from what happened. Everyone did. We left, and we made lives for ourselves. We moved forward. The world we've built doesn't have room for your chaos anymore. I used to be so terrified of you. But without that hood, or your weapons, or your Persona to bail you out...you're just an evil little man." She walked past him. "And by the way...I'm bi. And in love with a woman. So you and me would never be a thing. Though in your sick mind, that might be a kink." Her eyes turned yellow, and a powerful aura surrounded her. She kept her back turned to the Reaper. "You're old news, Nobuhiro. A simple shadow. But mine is the power of the sun. And in the sun's divine light...shadows die." She raised her hand up. The lance flew up high into the clouds. A huge pillar of light descended from the skies above, stopping just before it was to hit the Reaper. "I used to see you as a threat. Want to know what I think now?" She snapped her fingers. The pillar came crashing down on the Reaper. Rin didn't turn around. "You're fucking BORING." The pillar disappeared almost as soon as it crashed down. All that was left of the Reaper was a shaded, smoldering outline of his body, embedded into the street. The street and surrounding area were completely unscathed. Momo was at the front door, watching. Rin walked back into her house. "Sorry about that, Momo. Let's go find those letters so we can surprise Rose when she gets home..." Elsewhere, the students' confusion only grew once time resumed movement. "We...we didn't hallucinate all that, did we?" Natalia asked. "All of us at once? I don't think so." Carrie replied. "...I'm just gonna assume Tan Man's mixtape was so bananas it stopped the world from moving. Yeah, that's what I'm gonna go with." Kitty said. Barbara started giggling. "Hm? Barbara...?" Carrie said. "...coming here was a good idea. Whatever we've stumbled on, it's not like anywhere else. This is going to be fun..." Barbara said. --- Hours later, Rose returned home. Rin stood on the front porch, holding Momo. She motioned over to the silhouette in the road. "See that? Told you I took care of it." Rin said. "Guess he tried the same regeneration trick Tohru pulled. But I think I made my point clear. He won't be coming back from that." "I certainly hope not. Jin was in a state before I told him you took care of him." "I can imagine. JoJo told me Hiyoko fainted when she realized time stopped. Even after all this time, we still have to live with the ghosts..." Rose took notice of some rolled-up papers sticking out of Rin's pocket. "Oh, uh...I spent the day reading the letters you gave me." "Oh...so you did..." "Yeah, so...I dug up some of the ones I wrote for you over the years...fair is fair, after all..." Both were blushing madly at this point. "Rose...did you mean everything you wrote? I mean...that was some really, really deep and personal stuff in those letters..." "Did I mean everything? Oh, Rin...I meant every word. I was naught but an empty shell when I met you. You gave me friendship, and family...you gave me a purpose in life. You were my savior, in a lot of ways." "Is that right...I can honestly say the same about you. I was lost when we first met. I felt so powerless. But you helped me come to my senses, and find the power to achieve anything I wanted. You were my rock...no. You were my angel." "Rose, I...I'm so sorry I kept this from you all this time. I didn't want to scare you off...didn't want to imagine a future where you weren't here with me. I'm sorry if I caused you any pain." "You really do feel that way...well, then. I suppose this is long overdue." Rose walked up to Rin. With a sigh mixing nerves and relief, she kissed Rin. "I love you. Every cell, every fiber that makes up my being has wanted to scream it for years. I want to stay by your side for all of eternity. I say nothing I don't mean. So, then..." Rose grabbed the papers out of Rin's pocket. "Let's take a look at these letters." Rin smirked. "OK. Let's get to it. I hope they aren't too cheesy for you. My rock, my angel, my beloved...my beloved." They walked inside. A figure walked over and stood over the outline that was once the Reaper. Barbara smiled, and thought for a moment. "The tales you must have to tell, professor..."